A Second Time
by AKUltiWarrior
Summary: He remembered. He remembered his successes. He remembered his mistakes. This time, he'd fix them. The present is different from the past. He'd make sure of that. He won't let anyone get hurt because of him, not again. Not for a second time. Reincarnation fic!
1. Chapter 1

**Alexander Harriston/Alexander Hamilton**

* * *

 **Hello! I know that this idea isn't really that original, but I hope I can make this story interesting enough to make you stick around. Also, here's your daily reminder that these characters belong to our dear Linnamon roll, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Or not, since they technically were real people... Eh, don't think about it too much. Enjoy :)**

* * *

 _Hamilton!_

 _Hamilton!_

 _Alexande-_

"Alexander Harriston!"

Alexander bolted upright in his seat. "-THE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE STUDENT BODY WILL HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO THE FOOD IN THE CAFETERIA!"

Gregory Washington stared at him from the other side of the table. He glared at one of the students to his right. "Darcy, did you give your assignment to Harriston again?"

The man in question, Finneas Darcy, sunk into his seat. Gregory's eyes spoke of immense disappointment. Alexander glanced at Finneas and saw him wince. At least the man had the decency to feel sheepish, Alexander thought.

"Sorry, Greg. But, come on! The guy's reliable, right, Lex?" Finneas defended, looking to him for support. Now, he was proud of the cafeteria plan he came up with, and he was getting pretty bored of handling the finances.

He did like being able to work on a wider scale. Not to say he didn't think the finances were important- actually, if the school didn't handle their funds well, it would severely affect- wait, he's getting off-topic.

"Harriston?"

"Gregory, I wouldn't mind handling a little more work," he said. No, he wouldn't admit that he liked it, being able to mold the school's foundations as he liked. If he said that, Gregory would look at him like a disappointed father scolding his son.

He added, "But Finneas did pass on his responsibility to me. It's your job, Finneas." Said man looked at him, an affronted expression on his face that, quite frankly, had Alexander snorting to hide his laughter.

Gregory stared at him for a second longer, and Alexander deflated, because that meant he didn't quite believe him. Suddenly, it was getting harder and harder for him to hide things from the older man. "...Darcy, I'll talk to you after the meeting. Harriston, I'll speak to you after classes."

Alexander sincerely hoped he wouldn't be removed from his position in the council. Although he was a relatively new student, he was able to rise above his station through hard work. He was smart, non-stop, and a self-starter to boot. He wouldn't throw away his shot now.

"So about those financial plans?"

Alexander was snapped out from his thoughts. An easy smile made its way onto his face. "As I was saying- or was supposed to say-"

The meeting went on for a few more minutes. Alexander spent his time listening to the other council members' proposals, picking apart their flaws and strengths.

Sometime in the middle of it all, he couldn't remember, he spaced out. He's been doing that a lot lately.

* * *

 _Flashes of court rooms, familiar faces, frustrated words, and distant voices flitted across his mind._

 _"Are you ready for a cabinet meeting?"_

 _"Jefferson, the floor is yours."_

 _"Hamilton, take a walk."_

 _"We need bold strokes!"_

 _"That's an order from your commander."_

* * *

"Meeting's over. Thank you for your presence."

"Washington, sir!" he gasped. George looked at him- wait, George? Alexander blinked. No. Not George, he doesn't even know a George. Gregory looked at him weirdly. "Yes?" he asked.

Alexander stared at him a moment too long. "Uh. No, nothing, si- Gregory," he replied. "If you say so," the older man shrugged.

As Gregory exited the room, Alexander swore he looked disappointed.

* * *

He closed his locker.

"Ah- excuse me."

Alexander looked at the person who'd bumped into him. "No problem," he absently said. The girl was about his height, dark skinned, her frizzy hair tied back. She stared back at him, an eyebrow raised.

"Huh. Not gonna flirt?" she asked.

Ah. Alexander knows who this is. He's heard enough of the Skyler sisters from his friend, Burr, to deduce which ones were which.

The girl in front of him held herself with an unusual confidence he didn't often see from his peers. In fact, he'd even say it was comparable to Washington's own confidence.

Her eyes were intelligent. This must be Angelica.

Before he knew what he was saying, the words were already rolling off his tongue, "You don't look like an easy woman to satisfy." Angelica's face fell flat, and then she took that as her cue to leave.

"I've worn that exact same expression many times before, you know. If you need to talk, I'm available," he called out. Skyler stopped for a second.

"My name is Angelica Skyler. Although, you already knew that, didn't you?" she said. Alexander grinned. "Mine's Alexander Harriston!" She didn't look back.

"Just you wait," he muttered.

* * *

The cafeteria was crowded, as usual. Alexander really hoped that they'd consider implementing Finn- oh, right, his plan soon. It'd make life easier for both servers and students.

Luckily, a girl he'd never seen his entire life gave him her lunch. She smiled at him and told him not to worry, and that she just thought he looked tired. Alexander wondered if he really looked that worse for wear.

The girl was kind, and held a grace and compassion in her eyes that Alexander found too difficult to name. He felt like he could relax around her, like he could be more open. He usually never felt like that around anyone.

 _She must be formidable person_ , he thought.

All of that aside, what struck him the most was how _easy_ and _right_ it felt to talk to her. And to top it all off, she just seemed so...familiar. Well, recently, a lot of things seemed familiar.

* * *

 _A brightly lit room, ball gowns, suits, dancing, chatting, glasses of wine, and soft smiles invaded his vision._

 _"Elizabeth Schuyler, a pleasure to meet you."_

 _"I'll leave you to it."_

 _"Be true."_

 _"I swear to God you'll never feel so..."_

 _"Helpless..."_

 _"Take a break!"_

 _"I hope that you burn."_

 _"Alexander, did you know?!"_

 _"It's quiet uptown."_

 _"...Best of wives and best of women."_

* * *

He almost fell face-first into the floor. When he regained his balance, he looked around to see the cafeteria and the bustling students inside it.

Not a ballroom.

Well, he had his lunch now, so at least he didn't have to wait in line.

Practically every table was occupied by different groups. "Alexander!" someone shouted, and the man himself thought the timing was quite convenient. He was getting tired of searching for a table.

Arin Burr waved at him from across the room. Alexander weaved through crowds of students relatively easily, and was soon standing at his friend's side.

"Alexander, good to see you!" he greeted, adding, "I'd like you to meet a friend from my History class." Alexander peeked behind Arin and saw three boys chatting animatedly about something or another.

"A friend?" he deadpanned. One of the boys noticed him and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah. That'd be me. Sorry, I hope you don't mind that I brought some friends of my own?"

His curly hair was tied back, and his face was sprinkled with freckles. Alexander felt his stomach twist in a way he'd never felt before. It was... _painful_.

* * *

 _Drunken nights, barks of laughter, friendly banter, and fleeting touches invaded the forefront of his mind._

 _"I'm John Laurens in the place to be!"_

 _"Take another shot!"_

 _"Laurens, I like you a lot."_

 _"Let's get this guy in front of a crowd!"_

 _"Raise a glass to freedom."_

 _"There's hope for our ass after all!"_

 _"Laurens, do not throw away your shot."_

* * *

"Are you okay?" the boy asked. "John?" Alexander whispered. For a second, he was confused. Why did he ask that? Who's John? It sounded so familiar. But...he didn't know.

"Oh. You didn't tell me you already told him my name," John smiled at him, although he was talking to Arin. "Full name's John Laurence, in case you didn't know yet."

Arin looked at Alexander, confused. "But I didn't..." he mumbled. Alexander's cheeks burned a bit.

"Ha, he's shy. Don't tease him too much, mon ami," one of John's friends quipped, nudging his arm. John swatted his hand away. Alexander's lips pressed into a line, his irritation showing on his face.

The man who said that spoke with a French accent. He noticed Alexander staring at him.

"Hello, friend. My name is Latyeffe. Lancelot Latyeffe. Nice to meet you," he greeted, sticking out his hand. Alexander shook it firmly. "Not sure If I can say the same," Alexander snarked. Lancelot barked out a laugh. The boy sitting beside him sprang up.

"What's up! I'm Hercules Morgan, although I personally don't think I need an introduction," he announced, also sticking his hand out. However instead of a handshake, his hand was positioned for a fist-bump.

The corners of Alexander's lips perked, forming a somewhat amused smile.

"Alexander Harriston. Nice to meet you as well," he nodded, finally acknowledging all three boys. The moment he sat down, John threw his arm around him, Lancelot flashed him a toothy smile, and Hercules clapped him on the back.

Alexander let himself laugh like he'd known them for years.

Arin watched them all with a fond expression, but for just a split-second, he frowned. After that, he resumed smiling, even though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

* * *

It was the last period for the day. Now, Alexander usually didn't fall asleep in class. That never used to happen before.

That being the case, he also didn't usually space out, see, hear, and feel things that weren't actually there, and he most certainly did not usually feel like he's met people he hadn't even seen his whole life.

To sum it up, his life was at a very weird point at the moment.

Alexander felt himself nod off and he tried to stop it, but it felt like his very consciousness was urging him to bonk out on his desk in the middle of class.

Maybe I should take a break, he thought drowsily.

His eyes agreed. The moment he closed them, he felt his mind slip into unconsciousness. And then, the dreams came. Or would it be more appropriate to call them visions?

Well, he didn't really care about that. The only thing that mattered were the faces, voices, words, and feelings that crashed into him. It was so sudden, and it swallowed him whole like a hurricane.

Thousands of thoughts filled his mind, and he saw pages and pages of writings, and then he remembered what it felt like to write so much it seemed like he was running out of time, of how it was to always want to rise above his station and how he never was satisfied with where he was, and suddenly he knew the pain of losing friends and family, and he felt shame and regret and it felt overwhelming because it was like an entire lifetime of struggle, pain, joy, and sorrow had just crashed into him, and it suffocated him, just like his thoughts of having a legacy did-

A legacy.

What is a legacy?

...he didn't know. Did he?

Oh, but he did. He knows. They were seeds you plant in a garden that you never get to see grow.

But how...?

Oh. It hurt. He was hurting. Something was ringing in his ears. He heard someone shout.

He saw two faces he swore he'd seen only moments ago. They were crying. The world went dark.

...But then he could also see John, a girl who confided in him, a son he didn't have yet, a mother that left him so long ago, and Gregory.

John Laurens.

Peggy.

(His) Philip.

His mother.

George.

...

Mulligan.

Lafayette.

Angelica.

...

Aaron Burr.

...

...

Eliza.

He woke up.

* * *

He raced down the hallway. He couldn't keep Gregory waiting. He burst into the Student Council meeting room. "Gregory?" he called out. The man in question was seated at the table. "Harriston," he said. "Take a seat."

Alexander didn't need anymore prompting.

"...How much?" Gregory asked. Alexander didn't need to think twice to know what he meant. Before he could stop himself, the words tumbled out of his mouth as if they'd be forgotten the moment he hesitated to say anything.

"Alexander Hamilton. My name was Alexander Hamilton."

Gregory smiled.

* * *

 **Yup, already knew before Hamboy did. Who else already knows, I wonder? Anyway, just so you know, the pairing in this fic is Hamliza. Sorry to the Lams shippers out there. Other ships are still undecided, but if you have any suggestions (especially for our boi Laurens) then please let me know! Also, the next fic will either be from Angelica's or Laurens' POVs. Stay tuned, updates every Saturday or Sunday.**

 **AK_Ulti, signing out~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Eeeeyyyyyy it's our favorite ga- guy. Our favorite guy. LAURENS! Anyway, I usually have my brother review these and his verdict was: It's not as good as the first chapter. Well, I agree with him, and I've tried my best to make it a little more interesting, but I still think it isn't as good as it could be. But onto the story! Hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

 **John Laurence/John Laurens**

* * *

John met a new friend that Monday. His name was Alexander Harriston. They found out they had Social Studies together and just never really noticed each other.

Alexander didn't have many friends. In fact, John suspected that Burr was his only friend. So it came as a surprise to him when he started seeing him hanging around the Student Council president more often, looking like his right-hand man.

Of course, he was happy for Alexander. He wouldn't stop him from making new friends when he knew how much fun it could be to meet so many different people.

He was thrilled when Lance and Herc almost immediately hit it off with Alex. He'd also like it if there'd be more than just five of them in their little group soon. He especially enjoyed it when they shared stories. He felt like the stories they told could become something to remember them by even when they weren't there.

A week after meeting Alex, he came to school with a bounce in his step. Today would be great. Ever since he'd calmed down with some of his violent tendencies, people he used to fight with found him more agreeable.

He was proud of that achievement, and so were his family and friends. That was the first time he'd felt so confident about wanting to change for the better. After that, he grew to love having more friends than enemies.

When he arrived at his Chemistry class, Lance had already reserved a spot for him. He sat down, throwing a grateful smile at his friend's direction.

"Oui! Mon ami, John, how have you been?" he asked. John laughed, "Pretty great! How've you been, Lance?" The Frenchman shrugged. "My *sœur wants me to do her art project for her. Does she think I'm her butler? *Bonté, non! I already have enough to deal with at school and my fencing lessons," he ranted.

That got another laugh out of John. "Man, was it your older sister or the younger one?" he asked. Lance looked like he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. John, meanwhile, resisted the urge to snort.

"Amelia. The older one," he grumbled. John put an arm around him, poking him good-naturedly. "Are you their babysitter or their brother?" he teased. Lance tried to glare at him and not smile, but failed miserably.

"Ah, you always know how to make me feel better," he said, putting his own arm around John.

"Haha, yeah-"

* * *

 _His vision was consumed by wooden tables, chairs, and barrels of beer, while his ears were flooded with rambunctious laughter and carefree declarations._

 _"Oui, oui, mon ami, je m'appelle Lafayette!"_

 _"Who's the best? C'est moi."_

 _"Who are you?"_

 _"I dream of life without the monarchy."_

 _"But I will gladly join the fight!"_

 _"If Alexander can get married~"_

 _"You are the worst, Burr."_

* * *

"-n, John!"

"-Oh! Y-yeah? What is it?" he stuttered. Lance gestured behind him. Before he could turn around, a hand slammed onto his desk. He looked up to see his teacher's stern face.

"Mr. Laurence, I'd appreciate it if you didn't doze off in class," she said. He gave her a sheepish smile, although it didn't look that apologetic at all. "Yes, ma'am," he replied.

When she turned around, Lance blew a raspberry and almost had John choking on his own spit. "What?" he asked innocently. John opened his mouth to answer, but found their teacher glaring at him from her table.

Lance snickered, and he tried not to smack him.

* * *

"Finneas was removed from his position! Well, I can only hope whoever takes his place is better than he is, but obviously not better than me," Alex rambled. John chuckled.

"What?" Alex asked. John smiled at him, and he might have just been imagining it, but Alex looked like he was blushing. John looked away. "Uh, yeah, it's just cute how confident you are," he answered.

"Oh."

John wasn't sure if he wanted to take it back because it suddenly got awkward, but Alex looked so embarrassed it was funny.

"So what do think about Lance and Herc?" John asked in an attempt to ease the tension. Alex looked surprised that he even tried. His expression then turned thoughtful.

"I think," he started, "Lancelot is very intelligent, despite what his actions may lead you to believe." John nodded, agreeing while signaling him to go on.

"...And Hercules acts an awful lot like a mother, though he disagreed when I brought it up," he finished. John let out a short burst of laughter. "I didn't know you actually said that to him!" he exclaimed.

Alex grinned. "I'm not one to sugar-coat my words," he stated. John's smile grew, and he casually put an arm around Alex. He felt him become tense, which made him wonder if he shouldn't have done that, but Alex relaxed almost immediately.

"You just transferred this year, right? It's pretty amazing how you got a position in the Student Council already," John complemented. Alex laughed, and John wasn't sure he liked the way it made his gut twist.

"Gregory was surprised as well when I applied for a position. I'm just glad he gave me a chance," he said. John silently agreed with him.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while before John decided to bring up their earlier conversation. "So, you like Lance and Herc, right?" he asked. Alex nodded.

"You want to know what I think about you?" he guessed. John pouted and jokingly asked, "How'd you know what I was thinking?" Alex looked at him strangely for a moment before replying.

"We've been friends for a long...time," he muttered, his voice becoming too soft to hear.

"What?"

"Oh, I meant to say that I'm very observant," he said. John didn't believe him, but decided not to prod when Alex looked away.

"About what I think of you- well, I like you a lot, John," he said, finally answering John's original question. Although Alex wasn't facing him, John thought he looked a bit wistful.

* * *

 _He was in a bar, the same one he was in when he was talking to Lance. Sounds of drunken men cheering buzzed in the back of his mind._

 _"If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?"_

 _"I am not throwing away my shot!"_

 _"There will be a revolution in this century."_

 _"I will lay down my life if it sets us free."_

 _"Laurens, I like you a lot."_

 _"And when our children tell our story-"_

 _"Cuz I've seen wonders great and small!"_

 _"Laurens, do not throw away your shot."_

* * *

Someone was shaking him.

He flailed as he tried to push off whoever was holding him.

"John! It's just me, Alexander."

He stiffened, then slowly relaxed when Alex's familiar voice washed over him. "Alex? What- what happened?" he asked. Alex looked like he had something to say, but he was biting his lip. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"...No," was his answer. John furrowed his eyebrows and grit his teeth. Ever since they'd met it seemed Alex had something he wanted to say, but couldn't (or wouldn't) for some reason.

He forcefully removed himself from Alex's grip. The other man looked surprised, but he quickly masked his emotions with a calm expression.

"I don't have anything I'm not saying," he assured. John took a few calming breaths. "...Okay. I- I gotta go," he muttered. Alex gave him an apologetic look. John didn't face him, turning to the opposite direction instead.

"John, wait, you're going to-"

He was about to walk away when someone bumped into him, said person stumbling back a bit but fortunately not falling down. John apologized, a bit flustered and confused.

"Sorry, I was just..."

When she looked at him, John couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. When he _actually_ saw who he bumped into, he thought he might have a heart attack.

She also seemed to have been in a trance, but she snapped out of it before he did.

"Oh, it's no big deal. What about you, are you okay?" she asked, smiling kindly. John's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"I'm fine," he answered lamely. Her smile brightened (How was that even possible?) and he felt conflicting emotions swirling in him. "I see... Aren't you from my English class?" she asked.

John nodded. "Yeah. You're Elizabeth Skyler, right?" She laughed; it was pleasant, like the sound of twinkling bells. "It's a bit strange for people I barely know to know my name," she said.

John shrugged, relaxing as the conversation went on. "That's usually the case for most people. But, you're a Skyler sister, right? Your family is one of the richest and most influential in town," he said.

Her expression changed into an embarrassed one. "I was only adopted five years ago, so I'm not as used to it as I could've been," she explained.

"Huh."

"You can call me Eliza. Oh, since you know my name, maybe I should know yours?" she asked, her smile becoming more of a sly grin. John laughed. "Ha, you're pretty smooth, aren't you?" he complemented.

Eliza rolled on the balls of her feet. "Not as smooth as my sister," she commented.

"Um, hello? Aren't you guys forgetting someone?"

John jumped in surprise. He hadn't noticed how quiet Alex had been, since he wasn't really a quiet person to begin with. He'd assumed that he already left. "Hello," Alex greeted, nodding to Eliza. For a moment, she seemed to freeze, staring at Alex with a strange look in her eyes.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in recognition. "You're the one from the cafeteria," she gasped. Alex's lips quirked up. "Yup," he confirmed. "You're looking better than before," Eliza said.

John looked between the two of them, a bit confused. The unpleasant feeling from earlier returned to his stomach. Alex looked oddly... comfortable talking with her. Actually, it wasn't just him, Eliza also looked completely at ease.

"I met your sister, Angelica last week. Even though I politely asked her to, she still hasn't contacted me," he joked. Eliza smiled, although she looked troubled by something.

John was about to ask, but Alex spoke before he did. "Though I must say, had I spoken to you first, I might not have been able to wait even a day to talk to you again," he said. Eliza playfully glared at him.

However, she was red to her ears, which made her glare less effective. "Are you implying my sister isn't a pleasant person to talk to?" she teased. Alex laughed, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Nonsense! You both have your charms, but yours is looking to be the one that sweeps me off my feet, Ms. Skyler," he dramatically swooned.

John wasn't sure if he imagined the relief in Eliza's laugh.

Alex looked at her, his eyes strangely soft.

John quietly slipped away.

* * *

John was waiting in line at the cafeteria. It was extremely boring... and tiring. Alex said he proposed a plan that could make lunch in the cafeteria flow better, but he was still waiting on the higher-ups' approval.

"Hey," Herc whispered from behind him. "How much money do you have?" He asked. Laurence shrugged. "I dunno. I'll count," he said. Herc nodded and settled back.

And count his money, he did. "$20, huh," he mumbled. He held the two ten dollar bills in his hand. With nothing else to do in line, he resorted to playing with the money.

"...Alexander Hamilton. Alexander Harriston," he snickered to himself. "A.H. That's a pretty funny coincide-"

Before he could finish, his surroundings were bathed in darkness, his body became numb, and the voices of the people in the cafeteria were drowned out.

* * *

 _"Let's raise a couple more to the revolution!"_

 _"So there will be a revolution in this century!"_

 _"Have another shot!"_

 _"I promise that I'll make you all proud."_

 _"Strong words from Lee, someone ought to hold him to it."_

 _"Alexander, you're the closest friend I've got."_

 _"I'm satisfied!"_

 _"...Raise a glass to freedom..."_

* * *

Suddenly, thoughts, words, and feelings shot through him all at once like a bullet. He could see friends and enemies long gone, familiar voices, fleeting moments, conflicting thoughts and feelings, conviction to complete a mission, love, loss, acceptance, and finally...

A blue sky. Dark, red blood.

Death.

Then he finally opened his eyes to a new world. A world where slavery was abolished, where discrimination was looked down upon, and friendship was encouraged. A new world. Not perfect, but better. He knows now.

John Laurens. He would've been proud.

Of course he would've, after all, that's how John Laurence felt. He abandoned his place in the line, off to find Alex.

"-?! Wait! The money?!" Herc yelled. John replied with a shout of, "$20!" His friend called for him to come back. "Sorry, man. I have something I need to do!" He could apologize later. He laughed as Herc cursed at him for abandoning their lunch date.

"Not a date! Don't flatter yourself!"

* * *

"There you are, John! I've been looking everywhere for you- umph!"

John couldn't help it. He enveloped Alex in a monster hug that almost sent them both crashing onto the ground. "Whoa!" Alex exclaimed. "What happened?"

John felt tears in his eyes. He stammered, "I- I just remembered a lot of things and it's kind of overwhelming me-"

Alex wrapped his arms around him.

"I know."

He knows.

At that point, he didn't mind the people that gave them weird looks. He just cried.

He cried, and Alexander was there with him until the very end.

* * *

 **What'd you think? Is it good? Okay? Crap? Regardless, I'd be thankful if you reviewed. Next chapter stars an unexpected character! With that out of the way, lemme talk about a few things:**

 **Yes, there is Lams, but it's only a minor thing. And also the end goal is still Hamliza. But! If you've got any idea on who to pair him with, let me know.**

 **The story is a bit of a slow burn, so for those who don't have a lot of patience, maybe this isn't for you. That's okay, though! Go read the things you like. :)**

 **I update every Saturday OR Sunday, not AND. So yeah, it's a weekly update thing.**

 ***** sœur **means sister.**

 ***** Bonté, non **means goodness, no**

 **I just threw these words in google translate so... For those who speak French, sorry for the crappy French. Seriously.**

 **Lastly, please leave a review of you can, they really help boost my energy in writing. Let me know what I'm doing wrong and what I can do to fix it or improve. Thank you for reading!**

 **AK_Ulti, signing out!~**


	3. Chapter 3

**...And Peggy! Eyyyy, get you weren't expecting that, we're you? I've got nothing to say for now, so enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Peggy(Margarita) Schuyler/Peggy(Margarita) Skyler**

* * *

 _Everything was blurry. She saw outlines of people and buildings zipping past her, almost as if she were running._

 _There were two figures in front of her. They reminded her of warmth, care, and love, but there was something else- something that made them so familiar._

 _"Daddy doesn't need to know."_

 _"Like I said, you're free to go."_

 _"People shouting in the square!"_

 _"New ideas in the air!"_

* * *

Peggy woke up.

She groaned into her pillow when she read her alarm. 2 in the morning, damn, she sulked. A few weeks ago, she'd been having dreams so vivid they almost felt like reality.

The most common ones included two people, girls, whom she's sure she has never met. That said, she also couldn't shake the feeling that she knew them quite well.

The two figures always seemed to be by her side. Although, a lot of times, it felt like she was the one following them. In the few dreams where they don't appear, she is instead accompanied by a noble-looking man.

She always felt safe when he held her hand.

Nowadays, her dreams had included a new figure. It was another man. He moved confidently and spoke arrogantly. One of the female figures she was always with slowly drifted away until she was almost out of sight, and in the man's arms.

There were times when Peggy (or whoever she was in that dream) stretched out her hand, begging the girl to stay, while other times she just smiled, as if she wasn't feeling an all-consuming sense of loneliness.

As Peggy thought about these things, she glanced at her alarm and was surprised at how much time had gone by. She'd spent at least fifteen minutes staring at the ceiling.

The bedroom door opened. Her sister, Eliza, stood by the doorway holding a glass of milk. She scurried inside, gently closing the door behind her.

"...Eliza?" she softly called. She startled a bit, then turned to look at Peggy. "Yes?" she asked, keeping her voice close to a whisper as to not wake up Angelica.

The three of them shared one room. It was silly, yes, given how old they already are, but they weren't in any rush to get their own rooms. They all took comfort in being in each other's presence, and it also offered them silent support when they were feeling down.

However, their dad was starting to suggest taking some other rooms in the house. Peggy was opposed to the idea, but she forced herself to keep quiet. Their dad would be disappointed if she said something so childish.

And as the eldest of the sisters, Angelica agreed that their home was pretty huge compared to the other ones in town. It would be a waste not to maximize the rooms they use.

Peggy was jealous of how smart Angelica is, able to analyze the pros and cons in multiple situations in seconds.

Eliza smiled politely, as always. But there was a glint in her eyes that said she wasn't quite ready to separate either. When she looked at their dad, he immediately understood.

Peggy was envious of how, despite keeping a polite face most of the time, Eliza can still get her point across clearly.

After that, they were given half a year to get ready before getting their own rooms. Eliza, Angelica, and her were all grateful for their dad's generosity.

"Peggy?"

She snapped out of her daydream, smiling apologetically to Eliza. "Sorry, I was just lost in thought," she explained. When she sat up, Eliza sat beside her, putting her glass on the bedside drawer, and scooped her up in a one-armed hug. "It's about moving to different rooms, isn't it?" she asked.

Ah. Eliza was always perceptive when it came to people's feelings.

She nodded meekly. "I understand that there'll be a day when we won't be able to stay together anymore, but I just don't want it to be anytime soon," she admitted. Eliza, ever the compassionate one, listened quietly until she was done.

"I don't have many friends, despite what others might believe." _I mean, the Skyler sisters are from one of the richest and most influential families in town, so they must have a lot of friends,_ she thought sourly.

"Peggy, we'll always find a way to be together. I promise," Eliza assured. Peggy nodded quietly, but she could feel her nerves calming down. She relaxed in her sister's arms. "It's late. We should sleep, unless you want to go to school as a zombie?" Eliza joked.

Peggy cracked a grin, then she remembered something she wanted to ask. "Eliza, what were you doing up so late?"

Eliza froze for a moment, but it could've just been Peggy's imagination, because the next thing she knew her sister was ruffling her hair, telling her not to worry. "Just a few dreams. It's not a big deal," she said, but something in her expression told Peggy that she wasn't sure of it herself.

"Okay," she muttered. She didn't want to make Eliza remember anything bad. Her sister's smile softened when she looked at her. Peggy returned it with a bright smile of her own.

"Hey, a 'sister moment' without me? I'm devastated."

Peggy and Eliza jumped in surprise. Angelica was grinning at them from under her covers. "Do you think your big sister's too old for this? Cuz I'll have you know that there's still a ways to go before I'm a fully-fledged adult," she declared.

Peggy laughed out loud before being shushed by both of her sisters. "Dad's room is nearby, be quiet," Angelica whispered. After a moment of thought, she added, "I know I'm funny- comedy gold, if you ask me- but seriously."

Eliza's eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't dad on a business trip, though?" she asked. _So even Angelica can forget things sometimes_ , Peggy thought, only to realize she said it out loud.

The three of them were silent. Peggy resumed her loud bout of laughter, Eliza following right after. Angelica tried stifling her giggles behind her hand. It was a fruitless endeavor.

It took a while for them to go back to sleep after that.

* * *

Eliza was right. She did go to school as a zombie.

Peggy groaned, cursing her sluggish body. Angelica was walking by her side, her movements also slower than usual. "I told you guys to stop laughing," she said. Peggy huffed.

"Like you weren't laughing with us," she mumbled. Angelica gave her a half-hearted glare. They walked in companionable silence. A thought popped into her mind when she remembered Eliza had gone ahead of them.

"Hey, why didn't Eliza go with us?" she asked. Angelica shrugged. "Off to meet some new friends. At least, that's what she told me," she replied. Peggy tilted her head.

"Who are they?"

Her sister hummed to herself. "I think Alexander and John were their names," she said, her face scrunching up as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "Wait... oh. Oh. So that's why she was smirking at me like that. Alexander. God, how didn't I recognize that name?" she grumbled under her breath.

Peggy didn't exactly know what she meant by that, but it sounded like Angelica has already met this "Alexander" person before. "What's he like?" she asked.

Angelica looked at her for a moment before answering, "I barely talked to him, but the impression he gave me was that he was someone with a lot of self-confidence. Oh, I also found out that he has a position in the Student Council. Must be smart, then..." she started muttering to herself.

Peggy shook her head. She just hoped her sister wasn't getting involved with any dangerous people. Alexander sounded nice, at least.

"What about John?"

"From what I've heard from Eliza, he's one of those guys who likes to make friends," was her answer. They both sound like decent people, Peggy concluded. With that, she was satisfied, but she couldn't say the same for Angelica.

She looked like she was worried about something, but at the same time, didn't know what she was worried about. Peggy noted that Eliza also had moments like that. She then realized that she did, too.

What a funny coincidence.

She didn't press any further, because she felt that she was asking too many questions at that point, and also because they arrived at school. When they got to the front of the gate, they waved goodbye to each other and went on their separate ways.

As Peggy rushed to her first class, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more about Eliza's so-called friends.

* * *

She was walking down the hallway, off to her next class, when she bumped into Miranda Reynolds.

"Sorry!" the girl exclaimed, frantically trying to help Peggy up. She waved her hand awkwardly. "Oh, don't worry. I'm fine," she said. The girl seemed to deflate. "I- I see. Sorry for bothering you," she mumbled.

Peggy smiled, hoping it didn't look uncomfortable. "You weren't bothering me," she assured. The other girl stared at her with wide eyes. She nodded slowly, as if she was still processing her words.

"Um, okay. I'll see you later- oh, no, I meant to say bye. Gosh, sorry," she rambled. Peggy tried her best not to look troubled. She didn't want to make the girl more flustered than she already is.

"You don't have to apologize."

The girl opened her mouth to give what Peggy assumed to be another apology. She decided it would be better to cut her off before she even started.

"Goodbye," she said, resisting the urge to sprint down the hallway as fast as possible.

 _Sorry for leaving you just like that, but I'm going to be seriously late for my next class!_

* * *

It was lunch, and her sisters were running late. With nothing to do, Peggy sighed and picked at her food.

"Can- can I sit here?"

She jumped at the voice from behind her. She looked at the person who spoke and was surprised to see the girl she bumped into earlier that day. She moved into over.

"Sure," she replied brightly. The girl always looked so spooked, and she wondered what the reason for that was. "What's your name? Mine's Peggy. Peggy Skyler," she introduced herself.

The girl's eyes widened for a second. "S-S-Skyler? I... I'm Miranda Reynolds," she squeaked. She still hadn't sat down. Peggy patted the spot beside her.

"Sit down," she urged. Miranda sat down without a word.

They only talked a few times before her sisters finally arrived at the table. She did find out that Miranda wasn't much of a talker, and preferred quiet places.

"Hey, Sorry we're late," Angelica said. "Who's the new girl?" Peggy introduced Miranda to her elder sisters, and tried not to laugh at the girls's dumbfounded expression.

Eliza smiled an angel's smile when she said, "I'm sure we'll be great friends."

Peggy thought so too.

Lunch ended, and they said their farewells. Peggy promised Miranda she could come to them anytime. Her sisters agreed earnestly.

The day was going great, in her opinion.

* * *

 _She was writing a letter. She didn't know who she was writing it too, but they must've been important if she was telling them about all this._

 _'I'm sick,' she wrote._

 _'The doctor estimates I have three years left to live, at most. Dad was beyond mad. I hope you don't worry too much, because I won't be going any time soon. We'll always find a way to be together, after all. I've told Angelica already, if you're wondering._

 _She was also mad. She and dad are awfully alike. Enough about that, I don't want this to be such a sad letter, after all. How are you? Has Alexander done anything stupid again? Because if he has..._

 _Sorry, I'm sure you don't want to think about that right now. How is Philip? I hear he's graduated from Kings College with exceptional grades. Tell him aunt Peggy said congratulations, will you?_

 _I hope you are doing well, Eliza. We'll meet again soon, okay? I promise._

 _Yours truly, Peggy Schuyler'_

* * *

Peggy woke up with a gasp.

When she looked around, she remembered she was still in class. Her classmates were giving her odd looks. She apologized to her her teacher after he scolded her for sleeping in class.

Throughout the rest of the lesson, her mind kept flashing back to her dream. Why did she remember it so much better than the others? Why did it feel so real?

A creeping sense of hopelessness filled her whenever she thought back to that dream.

And just as she thought the day was shaping up to be a good one...

* * *

When Peggy and her sisters walked home, she felt like her head was stuck so far up the clouds, that everything around her seemed to disappear and she was left only with her mind.

She tripped, and then heard one of her sisters yell in alarm.

They ended up supporting her as she walked. Honestly, Peggy was glad. Her knees started to feel like jelly not long after. There wasn't much conversation during the trek. That said, her sisters' presence made the unsettling quiet much less uncomfortable.

When they arrived home, she excused herself when Eliza asked if she wanted to eat anything, asked if she was all right, and told her to rest if she felt tired.

She headed straight for their room, collapsing on the first bed she saw.

* * *

 _She could see swirling gowns, vibrant colors, and dancing figures. Then, the world went white._

 _It faded to reveal busy streets, people talking, and carriages pulled by horses._

 _"Daddy said to be home by sundown."_

 _"Daddy said not to go downtown."_

 _"It's bad enough daddy wants to go to war."_

 _"It's bad enough there'll be violence on our shore."_

 _"Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!"_

 _"The revolution's happening in New York!"_

* * *

She groggily opened her eyes. Eliza was shaking her gently. "You wouldn't wake up for a second there," she said, unable to keep the relief and worry out of her voice.

Eliza looked at her, a troubled expression on her face.

Peggy smiled tiredly. "I'm fine. Is it time to ea-"

* * *

 _The door creaked open._

 _"Eliza! What are you doing here?"_

 _There was a figure by the doorway. It was a woman, and Peggy noticed she was crying. Her shoulders shook as she tried to contain her sobs._

 _"I'm sorry, Peggy. Alexander- he- he cheated-" she choked up. Peggy was by the woman's side in an instant. "I brought the kids with me. I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do. If I'm bothering you and daddy, I can go back," she said._

 _Peggy rubbed her back in comforting circles. "You're not bothering anyone," she soothed. The woman looked at her, eyes glistening with tears._

 _Peggy thought it was sad for such a kind face to look so troubled. "You can stay," she declared._

 _"Thank you," the crying woman whispered. She wiped away her tears and gave a weak but genuine smile. Peggy couldn't help but be reminded of her sister._

* * *

"-eat," she finished lamely. Eliza helped her up just as Angelica entered the room. "What's up?" She asked. When Peggy looked at Angelica, she felt a storm of visions forcing its way to the front of her mind.

She almost fell back, but was able to steady herself before anyone noticed. Both of her sisters glanced at her, concerned. Peggy didn't want to worry them.

She poured all of her energy into the brightest smile she could muster. "So! What are we going to eat?" she chirped. Eliza and Angelica exchanged a look of surprise.

"You're not tired?" Angelica asked, doubt in her voice. Peggy shook her head, smile still in place. "Nope! I'm not even sick, see?" she said, pulling Eliza in front of her and pressing their foreheads together.

Eliza's lips pressed into a line. "She isn't burning up or anything..." she trailed off. Peggy released her, heading towards the dining room with an extra skip to her step.

"Let's eat!" she exclaimed.

Her sisters stared after her before accepting that she wasn't as unwell as they thought, and followed her to the dining room.

 _It's fine if they don't know_ , she thought. _If I can lessen their worries by being happy, then that's what I'll do._

 _I've been doing that for a lifetime already, anyway._

When she saw the both of them in the same room, she remembered for just a short moment. She remembered the joyous moments they shared, the hardships they went through together, the fun times they had, especially when sneaking out into the city, and she also remembered how devastated they were when they found out she was sick.

She remembered how they helped each other through it, how they protected each other, and how much they loved each other no matter how rough life got.

She remembered other people too. Her caring father and how he'd hold her with those warm hands of his, and the man whom she confided in, as well as the one her sister loved, Alexander.

She could remember an entire lifetime. It was overwhelming. She almost fell to her knees in that short moment.

She didn't know if they knew yet. For now, though, she'd keep it to herself.

She wondered how Miranda was doing, and if she was willing to meet up again. Maybe she can greet Eliza's friends while she's at it.

But at this moment, she'd stay by her sisters' sides. She wouldn't leave them, not like before.

* * *

 **This chapter went on longer than I originally planned. There are some parts that I'm not that happy about, especially the ending, but hey, baby steps. I'll get better overtime. Do you guys have anything you want to suggest? I'd be happy to hear you out!**

 **As always, don't be afraid to leave a review, they really help me in writing this story. :)**

 **AK_Ulti, signing out~**


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